A/N Hi everyone! Thanks so much for the comments last chapter, you know I love to read them. And I thank you for the follows and faves, all the new folks who started following me in alerts and new friends favoriting my writing. I appreciate all of you - LARGE.

When we left our couple last they'd just had a real nice and loving moment, then Beth hit poor Daryl with the news, Mama and Daddy Greene are coming for a visit. Just so you know, I do work Daddy over pretty good in this chapter. I always liked Hershel but it's how this story works. Let's see how the visit plays out.

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He reached an arm up, turned the bedside lamp on and slid himself into a sitting position, leaning his back against the headboard. She slid right over by him, wondering what was coming next.

"So when they supposed ta get here exactly?"

"I think they'll be here by the time you get home from work on Friday."

"Uh huh." He was nervous about even asking his next question because he was pretty damn sure he already knew the answer. "So where are they stayin'?"

He could see by the look on her face she was nervous, maybe worried, and when she started to speak it was as if her voice was shaking and she seemed to be having trouble forming a complete sentence. "Well um I just thought, I mean they're my folks and all, and you know I mean I didn't think it was going to be a problem, um, I thought they'd stay here, with us."

"Where here with us? This is the only bed in the house."

"Well I know but um, we're younger and all and I thought we'd use one of the spare rooms, we could well you know we could use the sleeping bags or something. Or I could and you could have the couch."

"Ya really think I'd take the couch an have ya sleepin' on the floor in the other room? Damn Baby even I ain't that big an asshole. As for the other, there isn't anythin' about that that's good with me Beth. This here is our bed, yours and mine. It ain't just your folks I don't want sleepin' in it, I don't want no one but us sleepin' in it, not ever. That's my feelin's on that."

"Oh. Well, um, it's just I can't really tell them to stay in a motel or something, I mean we always stay with family. I never stayed in a hotel until you took me to that one. I just well, gosh I don't know."

His brow was all knitted up, he was chewing at the thumb of one hand, while absentmindedly stroking her curls with the other hand. Giving great thought to this situation. He knew he was in no kind of mood to have any more fights with her. And even though he may have been raised differently than his wife he was still a southerner, you open your home to family. He was wracking his brain trying to come up with a solution.

He looked at her, shrugged his shoulders and said, "Only thing I can think ta do is to take that brand new budget we just set and bust that sumbitch wide open. We need ta buy a bed for one a them spare rooms."

"I'm sorry Daryl. Being married to me is costing a lot of money."

He looked at her and she seemed so worried, he crooked a finger under her chin and tilted her face up, gazing into a set of sad looking blue eyes, "You're worth every penny, and Baby this here is real life. Just when ya think ya got yourself a plan everythin' blows right up in your face. Ya know we got the money, it's just another little setback. If we stick with the double size like I had down in Waycross we won't need ta buy no new beddin' or nuthin' like that. We still got all that shit."

"Whatever you think is best Daryl. I'm sorry."

"Knock that off Baby, ain't nuthin' ta be sorry for, and we was gonna have ta set up a spare room anyway." As he said that the question occurred to him and he decided it was best to know the answer, so he braced himself and asked, "Ya got any other family that's gonna wanna be droppin' in for a visit?"

"Gosh maybe. I hope my sister Maggie and her husband Glenn will come sometime. And maybe my brother Shawn and his girlfriend might."

Yep, he'd married a family. "Uh huh, I figured there had ta be more."

"What about you Daryl? Don't you have family that will want to visit?"

"Only family I got is Merle. Ya never know though, Karen could wise-up and throw his ass out. He'd have ta come stay here till he could sweet talk his way back home." He snorted a little when he said it.

"Daryl, you shouldn't talk that way about your brother. He seems very nice."

"Baby you must be high. Now let's get some sleep."


Over breakfast he told her he was going to ask the fellas at work about where a guy could find some cheap furniture. Something he could just purchase on the spot and bring right home in the truck. "Don't bother with supper. I'll pick ya up after work and we'll go do what we gotta do."

"Daryl, you have to eat. How about if it's something that can keep until we get home?"

"Ya spoil me Baby."

"I don't think I'm spoiling you. I think I'm seeing to it that you take care of yourself."

He hugged her goodbye and smiled, "Yeah well no one ever lost no sleep worryin' about me. Love ya Baby."

He came home with good news. "This guy I'm workin' with, he just moved in with his woman and he's got his bedroom set he don't need no more, he said he'd sell it cheap. Don't know nuthin' about it 'cept it's a double bed, a night table and a chest of drawers. $300.00 is all he wants for everythin'."

They drove over to the guy's house with Daryl just hoping to God it was passable, and that he could finally quit bleeding money.

When Beth said it was a go he heaved a sigh of relief and he and his work buddy loaded the stuff in the truck. He called Merle on their way home, "Hey brother I need a hand, get your ass ta my place. I'll meet ya there in 15."

"Fuck you Daryl I ain't doin' nuthin' for ya, I'm havin' a cold beer an watchin' the game."

"Fuck you Merle."

"I'll be there in a few."

"Thanks Man."

They rode the rest of the way in silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

Beth already had it in her mind and in her heart, Daryl didn't hesitate in going out of his way for her. He was mostly sweet and mostly patient and she loved him with everything she had. But she was concerned her parents may not treat him well, that her Daddy might get sanctimonious or even heavy handed with him. She knew she wasn't going to stand for that. She was hoping for the best, that they could all mend their fences, but if she had to choose between her husband and her parents, she'd choose Daryl.

He'd been thinking he could get through two days with her folks. It was part of the deal he signed on for he supposed, part of being married and it didn't really matter what he thought about them, they were her folks and she loved them, and he loved her. He only hoped that when they saw him and Beth together they wouldn't think their daughter had married the devil himself.


Merle was at one end of the mattress, Daryl was carrying the other end, Beth seemed to be supervising. Really she was watching her husband's arms all flexed that way. She couldn't help herself, he was so manly, so hot, there was no way around that truth. That's when it happened, Merle said, "Well if Beth's folks are comin' ta visit it seems Karen an me needs ta get our southern hospitality goin' here. How bout we have y'all over for a barbeque on Saturday?"

Daryl was just about to think of an excuse of any kind why they couldn't when Beth said, "Oh my gosh, that's so nice of you to offer. See Daryl? I told you your brother is sweet. Thank you so much Merle. I just know Mama and Daddy are going to be happy to meet you. I'll call Karen tomorrow and we'll figure out the menu."

Daryl didn't say anything, what was there to say? He figured if they didn't drag her little ass back to Georgia once they got a load of Merle, they probably never would.

What neither Daryl nor Beth knew was, although they hadn't seen each other in some twenty-five odd years, back when Merle was just 13 or so, Merle and Beth's Daddy already knew each other.

Merle split as soon as they were done carrying in the few things, and Daryl offered to help make up the bed. She wouldn't hear of it, "No, my gosh it's almost eight o'clock and you haven't even had your dinner yet."

He didn't argue, he was tired, hungry and thirsty. He cracked a beer while she reheated dinner and told her, "Ya know Baby we've had sumthin' goin' on every night this week, now we're busy all weekend too. I'm really hopin' by next week we can settle into just bein' Beth and Daryl for a few days."

"That sounds pretty darn good to me too Daryl." She smiled that pretty smile for him while she set his meal in front of him.

He finished his stew and biscuits and she stood to clear the table.

He set his beer down and rested one hand over hers, with his other he patted his knee, "Quit what you're doin' there Baby, it can wait. Come sit here with me a minute cuz now I'm hungry for my wife."

His words sent a tingle right through her and she set the dishes back down and did as he asked. She sat on his knee and his hands cupped her face as he drew her in, kissing her hard and deep. "I need a shower an then I need my wife. C'mon an shower with me Baby." She couldn't think of any good reason not to.

In the morning as he was leaving she told him, "I swear Daryl you are coming home to dinner tonight and it's just going to be us. I don't want you to have to worry about one other thing."

He smiled and wrapped one of those big arms around her, pulling her close and squeezing her bottom, "Oh I don't know, I thought last night ended real well." Her cheeks pinked right up and he just had to give her a very hot kiss. "We'll see what kind a fun we can scare up for ourselves tonight."

He left her pink-faced and breathless.

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She was so grateful he'd made the decision to break the budget, she felt just like he did, she never wanted to give up their bed. It was where they'd first made love and she wanted to sleep there in his arms for the rest of her life.

And now that she'd seen his bank book she knew he could afford it. She also knew enough about him now to know, Daryl Dixon was a man who believed in spending very little and having a nice soft cushion to land on. That was just fine with her. Except for her complete loss of all good sense at Dillard's, she'd never been a big spender either. Her only weakness was fabric. She loved to sew and she owned a lot of fabric, that was where most of the money she'd made working at Noble's had gone. Maybe someday she'd get a sewing machine again. But she wasn't going to ask about spending any money any time soon.

She got the room fixed up for her folks, put a load of his work clothes in the wash and called Karen. They decided on Saturday's menu and Karen told her not to bother Daryl to take her grocery shopping, "I'll be by Friday morning after Merle leaves for work, we'll go to Publix. I'm real excited to meet your family Beth and to have everyone here to get acquainted."

Mama and Daddy arrived at three o'clock on Friday and Mama had a big surprise for Beth, she'd brought her sewing machine and her big plastic tub of fabric. "Oh Mama I can't believe it, thank you so much! I can't wait to sew again."

"Well young lady, a seamstress with your talent should have made her own kitchen towels, placemats and pillows. Now there's no excuse not to."

"You're right Mama, of course you are, and now I can make new curtains. I can't wait. You couldn't have brought me anything I'd like having more."

She showed her parents the home and she could tell they were impressed, Mama even remarked, "Well I certainly didn't expect anything quite this nice."

Beth was careful not to snap, she wanted to keep things as pleasant as possible. In a sweet voice she responded, "I told you Mama, Daryl is a hard worker and a good money manager, and I told you he'd be a good provider."

"Well I still think you're very lucky he didn't send you home when you spent his money that way. Or worse, treat you like his Daddy treated his Mama."

She still tried to keep it pleasant but that's when Beth had to stick up for him and for herself, "Oh please Mama. Daryl is Daryl, not his Daddy. I'm not worried about him ever hurting me that way. As for the other, Daryl and I worked that out right away. I made a mistake, he's not mad at me and I'm not mad at him. And guess what else? He said it's not his money, it's our money and he said in this house we make decisions together." She didn't miss the look her Mama flashed her Daddy. She imagined Daddy would be getting a harsh talking-to on their way back home Sunday. She also thought that was probably just what he needed.

They wanted her tell them the whole story again about running off with Daryl Dixon. She didn't really mind, and she was careful to emphasize how well he'd treated her when she was sneaking out to see him for those four weeks. She was also sure to reiterate how he had never tried to force her into anything. "Maybe if you try just looking at Daryl and the man he is, what a good person he is and how well he treats your daughter, instead of judging him by something his Daddy did, you'd learn to love him, like I do."

No sooner did she get those words out of her mouth than she heard the bike roar into the driveway. He'd been kind of wishing he was the type of asshole who hits the bar when the in laws come to town, not to be seen again in the light of day until they went back where they belonged. He'd worked with a few guys like that, but that wasn't him and he could never do that to Beth.

She opened the door and started toward the driveway to greet him and they hurried to each other. He wrapped that strong arm around her just like he had the morning before, and that big calloused hand squeezed her bottom as he kissed her hard and deep, "Hey Baby I missed ya today." Then he glanced up and saw her Mama and Daddy standing on the porch. "Oh hey folks."

Daddy started in right away, "Son do you really think that's appropriate behavior in front of the neighbors?"

Beth was ready to speak up for him but Daryl beat her to the punch when, with a great big smile he answered, "Yeah I sure do, I want 'em all ta know just how much I love my pretty little wife."

He'd expected these kinds of things would be coming his way, the questioning of his behavior, the subtle or even blatant disapprovals. A few jabs here and there and then maybe some kind of verbal left hook. At first he thought maybe he'd play a big game, try to act like the kind of person he was sure they'd want married to their daughter. He'd say the right stuff and go along, it was only for two days. But then he decided, fuck that shit.

He planned to show them respect, but he was his own man and it was plain to him that their daughter liked the man he was. He'd been on his own for more than a decade and making his own way in the world. They were her folks but she was his wife and this was his and Beth's home, not the farm.

He sat down on the porch step to pull his work boots off and son of a gun if Mama didn't say, "See there Hershel? That's what a man with some courtesy does, pulls his dirty old work boots off outside, so his wife doesn't have to constantly get down on her hands and knees cleaning the floor up after him!"

Daddy grumbled and Daryl was proud of himself, not about his boots, but about keeping a straight face. Now he knew where Beth got her little touch of spice.

It didn't stop there. Daryl lightly touched Beth's cheek and said, "I'ma have a beer before I shower up Baby, then I'll get that chicken on the grill. A'ight?"

She smiled that loving smile, "I'm sure you earned that beer today, you work so hard."

Then Daddy said it, "I don't allow drinking in my home."

"Is that right? Well then if I ever come there I won't be doin' any drinkin'. Here in this house my wife and I don't see a problem with it, long as we keep it from gettin' outta hand." And without even realizing it Daryl had thrown the haymaker.

Mama just said, "Well it's a good thing you're able to control it Daryl, Hershel never could." Ouch.

Daddy backed off a little after that, Daryl finished his beer and before going in to shower bent and whispered in Beth's ear, "Wish you was comin' with me." It was probably just knowing her parents were there that made her turn red as cherry. That made Daddy wonder what kind of profane thing that man had said to his daughter.

But Daryl Dixon was already winning Mama over. She was starting to think her daughter may have found a perfect man when she watched him get the chicken ready and put it on the grill. And then her son in law smiled at Beth and said, "I oughta make ya that chocolate pie tonight and we can take it over to Merle's tomorrow."

Mama was downright incredulous when she asked him, "You know how to make a pie Daryl?"

"Well not just any kinda pie, only chocolate, it's what I like."

"Well if you can make a pie crust the rest is pretty simple, I bet you could learn to make all kinds of pies."

Daddy wasn't much caring for all this fawning over his new son in law, but he'd heard something else that worried him, "What's this about Merle?"

"Merle's my older brother, him and his, well his woman they're havin' us all over for barbeque tomorrow."

Mama smiled, "Oh your brother lives right here in town? Isn't that wonderful. And how thoughtful of him and his wife to invite us over to share a meal." She continued to think maybe she'd misjudged, maybe these Dixon brothers had indeed been raised with some manners. Neither Daryl nor Beth commented on the "wife" part, things were going too well.

What sealed the deal for Mama was when her new son in law stood and began to clear the table after dinner. Daddy made a big mistake when he said, "You should let the women do that."

Daryl just looked him right in the eye as he remarked, "Beth is my wife not the help. I don't mind pitchin' in and doin' my share. And I sure ain't expectin' her Mama ta clean up after me."

It finally dawned on Daddy, he'd better just shut the heck up. The rest of the evening passed a lot more smoothly. Mama had brought some old family albums and she showed Daryl lots of pictures of Beth growing up. Birthday parties, Christmases, riding her horse and playing dress-up, and of course all her school pictures. Daryl kissed his wife on the cheek, "You've always been a pretty little thing, haven't ya Baby?"


He surprised her when they got in bed that night and he made that move, kissing her shoulder and neck, nibbling at her ear while he whispered sweet things and his hand slipped up under her gown. "Really Daryl, with my folks in the other room?"

He pulled her closer while pinching a nipple just hard enough, "Unless my wife gets ta squealing too loud they ain't gonna know what's goin' on in here."

She quietly giggled, "Well I guess you're right and it does seem like it could be a good way to end the evening."


They arrived at Merle and Karen's right at noon. Beth had never seen their place and she'd been curious to know how this man, who seemed to be such a contradiction of ornery and sweet, might live.

She was impressed with the outside beauty of the little house. It was painted a very pale green color with soft white trim and there was a big shade tree and a large front porch. But it was the interior that took her by surprise. It was like an invitation to the past, like great grandma's circa 1930 house. The wood furnishings were all mahogany with a little oak thrown in, the floors were all hardwood with big fringed area rugs, and the fabric on the sofa and chairs was a floral chintz. It didn't look anything even remotely like something Merle Dixon might have.

"Everything is so pretty Karen."

Karen knew what must be going through her mind, "Thanks Beth. Merle is real good about letting me do things the way I like them. He says as long as the yard, the shop and the garage are his domain I can have the house however I want. And between us, he looks kind of adorable sitting in that floral chair in his boxers and undershirt."

Daryl just shook his head, "I've thought a lotta different things about my brother, but I ain't never thought he looked adorable."

Beth had brought a big casserole dish of mac and cheese, Mama had insisted on making a Jell-O salad, and Daryl had his pie, plus a case of beer and a good supply of wine coolers. They put everything in the kitchen except the cooler of beverages and headed to the back porch.

There was Merle further out in the yard, sitting in front of a huge smoker in a wife beater shirt and sipping from a bottle of beer. He stood to greet them, "Hey y'all welcome. I hope you're hungry cuz I got enough ribs cookin' ta feed the whole neighborhood."

He wiped his hands down the sides of his pants as he walked toward them, greeting Beth first, "Hey little one, how ya doin' today? Ya gonna introduce me ta your folks here?"

"Hi Merle, thank you for inviting us. This is my Mama Annette Greene and my Daddy, Hershel Greene."

Merle and Hershel had already been looking hard in each other's eyes.

Merle addressed her Mama first, "Miz Greene it's a pleasure ta meet ya. We're real happy ya come by ta visit and share a meal with us."

Then he turned to her Daddy, "Been a long, long time Greene, good ta see ya again." Daryl and Beth just gave each other a questioning look, while Annette gave her husband the same.

Merle extended a hand to Daryl, "Brother, good ta see ya."

Merle was turning on the charm but there were unasked questions in the air. Daryl asked the big one, "Yeah, hey brother, how do ya know Beth's Daddy?"

"Well, it was kinda a business matter little brother. Let me put it like this, ya remember our Daddy had that moonshine operation, the one at the shack out there in the woods? He had me helpin' him there, you was still kinda little in those days, just a tot. Hershel here he was a real good customer a Daddy's, used ta come by to stock up on fresh supplies every Saturday mornin'."

Daryl wondered if his mouth was hanging open because it sure felt like his chin had hit the ground. Beth look confused and Mama, well she looked embarrassed. Daddy? Beyond embarrassed as he said, "Well I gave up that life a long time ago."

"Yeah I know, that's what we heard. It really cut into my Daddy's pocketbook when ya climbed on that ol wagon."

Everything fell silent on that and Daryl was wracking his brain trying to come up with something, anything to ease the tension. All he could muster was, "So what time we eatin'? I'm starvin'."

Merle laughed while he clapped him hard on the shoulder, "Shit little brother you was born starvin'."

There was a subtle shift in the tone of the conversations that followed. Daddy had given up on the snarkiness, instead trying hard to practice what he preached, 'judge not', and admitting to himself he had his own demons and his own past. Now everyone else knew it too.

Annette had known about his hard-drinking, and Beth had known a little, but neither had known about his longstanding relationship with Will Dixon. Daryl hadn't known anything about any of it. But what became clear to all of them now, was why it might have been that Hershel Greene had so vehemently attempted to keep his daughter away from the Dixon family.

Something else happened though, just shortly after that conversation, something that took everyone's mind right off Daddy's drinking past. Daryl had gotten himself and his brother a beer, while Karen got sweet tea for Annette and Hershel. Then Daryl offered Karen and Beth each a wine cooler. Beth almost hesitated but she, like Daryl, had decided not to pretend they were something different than who they were, and she enjoyed having a drink with her husband.

It was when Daryl offered the one to Karen and she politely refused, he looked at her, puzzled, "Serious, on a hot Saturday afternoon? are you the one on the wagon now?"

Karen looked right over in Merle's eyes and he was looking right back in hers. Then he cleared his throat and said, "Well ya know I thought I was just makin' love with my woman but it seems we was makin' a baby." Daryl was officially speechless.

But Mama was all smiles as she softly clapped her hands together, "That's so exciting! When are you due Dear?"

Karen smiled back, just a little embarrassed, "Well I'm not sure, I just took the test last night so I haven't been to the doctor yet."

"Well there will be a lot to think about and a lot to do, but it's all going to be wonderful. How long have you two been married?"

Merle, never one to spend a lot of time thinking before he spoke, said, "Well shit Ma'am, we never got around ta that part a the deal, we probably might oughta do sumthin' about it now though." He looked at Karen with that big grin and asked, "Whaddya think Sugar? Wanna tie yourself ta Merle Dixon for the rest a your life?"

Karen just shook her head side to side, but she had a little smile when she answered, "Merle you are really a sweettalking romantic, aren't you? Is that the best proposal you could come up with? But yes, I do."

That got the party started.

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That night they crawled in the big king size bed, Beth first and Daryl right behind her and holding her tight. He was sucking on her neck and whispering those words of love in her ear when his hand moved to slide her gown up, and then that big strong hand slipped in her panties. In a half-breathless whisper she asked him, "Daryl when are we going to have a baby?"

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A/N I have nothing more to say at this time :) So, what do you think? Like I said earlier, I know I picked on Daddy, but hey, it's the way the story worked for me. I hope you enjoyed it and please leave a comment / review. The chapter photo is posted to my tumblr blogs bethylmethbrick and gneebee, the FB fan page Beth Greene FanFiction, and with the story on AO3. I thank you all for reading along and hope to see you back here next Saturday for more Long Gone, and Wednesday for my other Bethyl WIP Long Love Story. In the meantime remember the truth, I love ya large! xo gneebee